


Bad Night

by LadyoftheWoods



Series: Sanders Sides [18]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Intrusive Thoughts, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit Sanders, Unsettling Imagery, general Remus creativity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:07:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22246078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyoftheWoods/pseuds/LadyoftheWoods
Summary: Remus has a bad night and Roman helps him through it.
Series: Sanders Sides [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1594594
Comments: 13
Kudos: 82





	Bad Night

Roman woke with a jolt. It was dark, the middle of the night, and he was usually the deepest sleeper of all the sides, dreams being a crucial part of his job. Tonight, however, the shadowy remnants of a nightmare were vanishing, the details murky and obscured, leaving only a sense of unease. Gnashing teeth, howling screams, twisted limbs, those weren’t his dreams, even his nightmares, and he rolled his eyes.  
“Isn’t it a little late for you to be messing with me?” He called out, frowning when there was no response. He’d been sure it was Remus. He knew it wasn’t malicious by now, just him trying to have some fun, in his own way. But there wasn’t that familiar feel of invisible eyes on him that meant Remus was lurking just out of sight, his cackling laughter and neon glowing eyes didn’t appear out of the dark. His brow furrowed and   
he swung himself out of bed, sinking into the imagination.  
His side of the imagination was a medieval fantasy dream world. Magical forests, sprawling hills, a magnificent castle like something out of a Disney film, all sparkling stone and twisting spires, stained glass of heroic deeds. He appeared just outside the castle gates. He took a moment to look up at the stars, his own hand made constellations, finding the outline of The Twins for moral support, the first constellation he’d allowed Remus to help him make, before setting off.  
It wasn’t hard to find the gate leading to Remus’s side. Usually it was far, far away, the edge of the kingdom, out of sight, out of mind. It had also been previously chained and securely locked to prevent intrusion, but those had since been taken down, allowing freer passage. He still didn’t trust Remus totally in his imagination, but his brother had been taking care not to do any permanent damage when he visited. He just enjoyed causing a little chaos, and Roman had to admit it was a bit fun, if sometimes messy. Then the gate was before him. Then he was through.  
Remus's castle was more of a fortress, heavy dark stone, high, foreboding walls, battlements outfitted with cannons and cauldrons of boiling oil and tar. But there was beauty to it, the screaming gargoyles crafted with expert care, so lifelike they alone would scare off intruders. The wrought iron ivy that twined up the side of the walls, sharp thorns and withered leaves crafted out of metal. The large stained glass window above the entrance door, a large open green eye staring down at any who entered, the background a mosaic of dark colors, scattering eerie light along the pathway to the castle. A single tower spiraled upwards above the center of the castle, a balcony visible from the distance. Dark storm clouds seemed to hover around it, obscuring the peak of it from view, lightning flashing across the sky like something out of an old horror movie.  
Roman shivered. It was cold, wind whistling eerily through the bare trees of the forest behind him. The trees seemed to whisper near intelligible words, their branches stretching ever so slowly closer, gnarled branches reaching out in clawed hands. Roman increased his pace, trotting until the castle gates were before him.  
As he approached, Roman saw there were guards stationed along the walls. As he came closer, he realized that the soldiers were decaying, rotting corpses standing guard, some form of zombies. He drew his sword, just in case, but the iron portcullis rose as he approached, and the creatures showed no sign of aggression. He crossed the courtyard in a few quick paces, getting drenched in a freezing rain that had started up as the thunder echoed louder through the stone courtyard. He shivered, hesitating for only a moment before he knocked on the wooden door. He yelped as a beam of green light enveloped him, looking up to see the stained glass eye staring back at him.   
“Um… hello? It’s me, Roman, I’m looking for my brother, Remus?” Roman asked, trying to keep his composure. He hadn’t exactly been here before, and wasn’t sure what safeguards Remus had in place, or what the consequences of failing them would be. The eye gazed at him for another long, tense moment. Then it slowly blinked closed, the beam of light vanishing, and the door swung open. Roman let out a breath, stepping inside.   
He was surprised to find himself at the top of what looked to be a very tall spiraling staircase. It seemed the door had opened to his desired location, instead of making him navigate the whole no doubt booby trapped castle. It had vanished once it closed, leaving him to navigate his way out. The wooden door before him was painted neon green, dark black tentacles writhing across the green, interictally lifelike. Carefully, Roman pushed open the door, half expecting the tentacles to come to life and grab him, relieved when they didn’t.  
It was dark, and it took his eyes a few moments to adjust. The room was messy, weaponry scattered across the floor, gashes and chips cut out of the stone walls, where no doubt Remus had been a little too rowdy with his toys. The room was also covered with posters, death metal bands, Disney villains, anything with disturbing, twisted imagery. And the ceiling was painted black, patterned with green, grasping tentacles, wrapped around a ship, squeezing it to smithereens. The forms of crew could be seen jumping ship, slowly drowning in the water, or being strangled to death by tentacles. Roman gave an appreciative hmm of thought. While ghastly to his tastes, it was expert craftsmanship, and he could appreciate the beauty and care put into the work, knowing it must have taken hours and hours to complete.  
It was blustery up here. He realized the large glass doors to the balcony were open, allowing in the freezing wind, the echo of thunder rattling the room. Other smaller windows throughout the chamber were also open, letting in stinging rain and icy gusts of air.   
In the center of the room was a grand, four poster, canopied bed, emblazoned with Remus’s insignia, the drapes tied back, but struggling to break free in the gusts that seemed to grow stronger by the second. A ragged flash of lightning temporarily blinded Roman, the thunder coming mere moments later, a shattering crescendo. Yes, the storm was definitely getting worse, and like in Roman’s realm, the only one who had the total control to cause this was Creativity.   
He made his way across the room, cursing as he stubbed his toe on the handle of Remus’s morning star, realizing the closer he got to the bed, the harder the wind whipped by him, until he was only a few feet away and it was hard to even push forwards. It wasn’t coming from outside, it was coming directly from Remus.  
Finally, he grabbed onto a bedpost to keep himself from losing any ground, yelping as another spear of lighting flared to life, striking the stone mere feet away from him. He nearly lost his nerve and his grip, realizing it was beginning to rain inside as well. He needed to get to Remus before this got any worse. He lunged onto the bed, gripping the head board finding… nothing. Then a small noise caught his attention, and he peered over the side, realizing that his brother was on the floor, blanket twisted awkwardly around him, no doubt having rolled out and fallen to the floor at some point.   
He lunged for him, landing with a muffled ooph on the floor, the wind vanishing now that he was in the eye of the storm, though it whirled around the room in an almost visible manner now, the lightning like a strobe light as it crackled through the air, the taste of ozone on Roman’s tongue.   
“Remus. Ree.” He called, to no avail, noticing how his hands were clutching tight to the blanket, his breaths ragged and sharp. He didn’t know how he’d react to being woken up out of a dead sleep, and mentally cursed himself for all the things he’d never given himself the chance to learn about his brother before steeling himself and reaching out, gently shaking Remus.   
Instantly, the wind ceased, leaving the room eerily quiet in leu of the howling storm. The sound of rain died down to a soft drizzle, the thunder fading to quiet rumbles as Remus blinked open his eyes, confused.   
“Roman? What…” a flash of panic raced across his face, and he pulled the blanket tighter, squeezing his eyes closed.   
“I’m still dreaming. I’m still… of course I am…you don’t care, you hate me, you wouldn’t be here, you wouldn’t… just… just do it then. We both know you want to, you’ve wanted to since the moment you met me, stop playing and just do it, just end it, just-“ His rambling was cut off as Roman hugged him, unable to comprehend what was happening.   
“now I know I’m dreaming. This… this only happens in the good dreams… this doesn’t happen… this…” His voice cracked as Roman pulled back, remorse painted across his face.   
“You were having a nightmare. I could feel it.” He said softly, and Remus shrugged.   
“It happens. Being dark creativity has its downsides, after all. As fun as it is to come up with ideas to drive you idiots insane, it’s not so fun when you can’t control the monsters anymore. But you can’t stop thinking them up anyway.” Remus’s gaze flicked across Roman’s face, then back down to his hands.   
“You… why?” he asked, that why holding so many more questions than Roman knew how to answer.   
“I wasn’t going to let you just… suffer through it. Not if I could help. And I… I know I have a lot to make up for. A lot to learn, about you, that I never bothered to care about before. But I want to be better. I’m going to be better. And that starts with not ignoring you when I know I could help. I don’t… I don’t hate you, Ree. I’ve said it before but I’ll keep saying it until you believe me. I was afraid and stupid and… and I didn’t understand, but I didn’t hate you. I’ve never hated you.” Remus’s hands stilled where they had been fidgeting with his blanket, the vulnerability in them almost painful.   
“will you stay? Usually Dee does, if I… but he’s still recovering and I don’t want to bother him and you’re here already.” The words spilled out of him so quickly he barely knew what he’d said. Idiot. He’d never say yes. He’d make an excuse, he’d say no, he’d leave and he’d never come back, you were too pushy and now you ruined it, ruined everything, cause you never know when to stop-  
“Yes.” His head shot up in surprise, mouth agape as he looked at Roman, face sincere, no hint of mockery or lies or revulsion in them. “If you want me to, of course I’ll stay.” He looked away just as quickly, trying to hide how hard his hands were shaking, how hard his lip was trembling, his dream still playing in his head. Trick, trick, this was just a trick, and he was falling for it, no doubt there was some cruel punch line, no doubt Roman didn’t really want to be here, no doubt he was mad that he’d been woken up from his cozy room and dragged out into the storm that was Remus’s mind.   
“Are you ok? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this quiet.”   
What was he doing? He couldn’t ask Roman, of all people, to stay, he cursed his stupid mouth, always working without his permission, working against him, and he back pedaled on his mistake.  
“P-Perfectly. Why don’t you go run along, brother dear, I know I disrupted your beauty sleep.” He trilled, plastering a grin to his face, carelessly twirling his mustache like some old timey cartoon villain. Roman’s eyes narrowed, scrutiny almost as intense as Dee’s was, when he was sniffing out a lie.   
“you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. And I’ll go if that’s really what you want. But I don’t think it is, and I’m definitely not going until we get you dried off and warmed up. I don’t know if you noticed, but you kinda caused a literal hurricane.” Remus looked around, a bit startled at that piece of news. He realized everything was drenched in water, scorch marks littered the ground, the air still tangy with ozone. His room was usually a mess, but things were thrown around even more than usual, a couple knives imbedded in the walls from being thrown around by the wind.   
“oh.” It was worse than he’d realized, then. He shivered, remembering, trying to keep his breathing even, trying to quietly do Virgil’s breathing exercises, hoping Roman wouldn’t recognize the pattern.   
It had been dark. The familiar corridors of the dark side rolled out before him, but they felt sinister in a way they never had before. He heard the scrape of metal against stone, his breathing hitching as his brother’s oh so familiar voice rang out.   
“Come on Remus, just make this easy for me.” No, no no no! “We both know Thomas doesn’t need you, would be better off without you. I mean, come on,” Roman scoffed, “Look at yourself.” Suddenly he was surrounded by mirrors, his reflections glared back at him.   
One laid down on a set of train tracks, a whistle not far in the distance, one was downing pills from a bottle like they were m&ms, one was staring at a razor blade, then crimson splashed against the mirror like a tidal wave, one was tying a rope, hanging it carefully from the ceiling, one was tying weights to his own feet, jumping into the sea. He had to look away. He couldn’t look away. He was horribly, morbidly fascinated as he watched himself kill himself, over and over and over and over and-   
He gasped, a cold, sharp, aching pain burrowing into his chest. Looking down, he saw the glint of a blade poking through his shirt, piercing through his ribs. He let out a choked noise as his legs gave out, the only thing holding him up the blade piercing through him, red soaking into his shirt, coating his hands, it was slippery, it wouldn’t stop, he was dizzy.   
“So many ways to get rid of yourself, and you still leave it up to me to clean up your mess.” Roman’s voice hissed right in his ear, breath hot against his neck. Another flash of searing heat, the sickly feeling of metal being pulled out of his flesh, then he slumped to the ground, choking as he tried to breathe, blood gurgling in his lungs, dripping down his chest, pooling on the floor.   
How much was there? Enough to fill the gas tank of a car? Enough to fill up a twelve pack of soda and scare everyone when they opened it up to take a drink? Enough to turn the ocean red? Enough to die? Yes, that last one seemed likely.  
“Useless. It’s a wonder we didn’t get rid of you sooner. We took a vote, you know. Even Milo agreed. And Virgil hates you, just like me. Patton said it was like putting down an animal with rabies. And Logan was just indifferent.” Footsteps echoed against stone, getting further and further away, and even now Remus reached out, pleadingly, trying to get him to stay, he didn’t want to die alone, he didn’t want to die alone, he didn’t-   
“Remus!” Roman’s shout broke through his mental haze, and he realized he had absently grabbed a dagger off the floor and was running it lightly across his palm, leaving cuts that stung, oozing blood. A burble of laughter rose in him, more than a little hysterical.   
“It’s so funny, Ro, really, how easy. I could jump off the balcony right there, the fall is high enough, I’ve stood on the edge enough times, I could toss myself into the Unconscious wearing lead boots, I could drink a gallon of gasoline, I could stab my chest and choke on the blood, I could tie a knot and swing, see if my neck breaks or if I botch it and slowly suffocate to death, I could conjure a monster I know I can’t beat, make it look like an accident, easy, easy, easy…” He trilled the last three words, rocking back and forth. “I could peel off my skin and stare at the muscles underneath, I could pluck out my eyes so I didn’t have to see, I could shove qtips so far into my ears that my eardrums rupture but it still wouldn’t stop all the noise!” He cackled, oblivious to the tears dripping down his cheeks, everything was suddenly too much.   
“Ree-“   
“Have you ever imagined your own brother killing you?” He asked brightly, too brightly, too chipper, manic eyes suddenly locking onto Roman’s, who, using all his strength, didn’t flinch back at the twisted grin across his twin’s face, seeing past it to the fear and panic in his eyes.   
“Isn’t funny how I’m not completely sure you wouldn’t? Isn’t it funny how easy it would be? Isn’t funny how nobody would miss me? Isn’t funny that I think it would be better sometimes? Isn’t funny that I’m afraid of myself? Isn’t funny that I almost wish you would, just so all the noise would stop, stop, stop, stop? It’s hilarious, it really is.” He let out another manic cackle, wheezing for breath, hands pulling at his hair, he needed to get it out, out, out, he was filled with energy, too much energy, he was burning up on it, the words coming faster, so fast he wasn’t even saying words anymore, just babbling nonsense, but he couldn’t make it stop, the harder he tried the faster it came and he was wheezing in air but he couldn’t breathe and the noise wouldn’t stop and he wished he could rip off his ears to silence the sound, but he knew it was coming from inside his own head. He was barely aware of pressure on his shoulder, of the vague feeling of sinking out, of sudden warmth, but he was lost, lost, lost in the noise.

Roman didn’t know what to do. He’d never known Remus could get like this, never considered that he might be aware of what he was capable of, that he might be afraid of it, but of course he was. He’d been told his whole life he was the “bad” creativity, he wasn’t wanted, he was evil, that’s why the split had happened, after all. One of them was bad and one of them was good, and Remus had always been shunned to the dark. Why wouldn’t he think he deserved it?   
Sure, they’d been spending more time together, they’d been talking, he’d been hanging out with the rest of the gang, he’d still been Remus, loud and chaotic and unpredictable, but it was understood, now, he was understood. Roman had never considered that Remus suffered from intrusive thoughts, his own intrusive thoughts. But of course he did, Virgil had anxiety, Milo lied, he daydreamed, of course Remus couldn’t always control his own thoughts, his own words.   
Currently, Remus was incoherent, babbling words that didn’t quite form sentences, just ones with disturbing connotations, blood, viscera, spleen, aorta. Being in the Imagination wasn’t helping, either.   
Their rooms were linked to their respective imaginations, but weren’t themselves an extension of it. Being in his imagination enhanced Roman’s ability to come up with ideas, let him quest and create and brainstorm, it made dreams all the more real. It helped give him inspiration.   
It was clear Remus’s worked the same way, but even Roman’s imagination was somewhat detrimental to his own mental health if he spent too much time in it, and Remus had clearly reached that limit, and at this point simply going back to his room wouldn’t be enough to calm him.  
He grabbed Remus’s shoulder, gently but firmly, sinking out with him, reappearing a moment later in the living room. To his relief, no one else seemed to be up at the moment. He was sure they’d all be more than willing to help, but he had a feeling that Remus would hate the others seeing him like this. Much like Roman hated showing any weakness or vulnerability.   
He snapped his fingers, and Remus’s outfit changed into soft pajamas patterned with octopi. He grabbed a blanket and wrapped it tight around his brother, frowning as he looked at his hand.   
“Remus. I will be right back. I will be gone for less than a minute. I just need to get some bandages.” He said, soft but firm, seeing the fear flicker through Remus’s eyes when he said he was leaving, and his heart panged.   
“I swear to you, I’m not leaving you. I swear on my kingdom I will be right back. I swear on my life. Ok?” He asked, needing Remus to believe him. If he didn’t, Roman wasn’t sure he could bring himself to leave. Remus nodded after a long moment, and Roman turned, vanishing into the kitchen, reappearing a few seconds later, a warm, wet towel in his hand, a roll of gauze in the other.   
“I’m gonna clean your hand and bandage it. It might sting a little. Ok?” He asked, making sure Remus nodded, before kneeling on the ground, focusing on his work. Remus was still babbling, but it seemed quieter now, a bit slower.   
“Do you remember,” Roman began, smile playing on his lips. “Do you remember, after the split, before you… left… when we’d go questing together?” He asked, not expecting a response this time. “There was one time, we were in a woods, climbing trees and you were just scaling them, like they were nothing! I was still only a quarter way up and you’d made it to the top and back at least three times, and were jumping around from tree to tree, and I was so mad that you could do it and I couldn’t. But you knew I wouldn’t ask for help, and would say no if you tried, so you just kept going up and down until my stupid brain realized you were going the same way each time, and if I just followed your pattern instead of trying to make my own way it would be so much easier. I finally did, and we made up together just in time to watch the sun set. I remember you beaming at me, so proud that I’d made it, and we stayed up there for hours, stargazing, creating constellations, coming up with new legends and myths for each one we conjured. We stayed up until dawn. Logan was so mad at us, Thomas almost fell asleep in school that day.” Roman said, voice low and even as he finished wrapping Remus’s hand.   
He sat down next to Remus on the couch, carefully wrapping an arm around Remus’s shoulders, taking Remus’s uninjured hand, rubbing circles on his knuckles, knowing intuitively that touch would ground him, it always grounded Virgil, anyway.   
“There was one time that we were playing tag. I tripped on a root or a rock or something, and fell. I scraped my knee and twisted my ankle so bad we thought it was sprained, and even leaning on you, I couldn’t walk. So you just scooped me up! I was fighting with you the whole time, to put me down, to let me walk, but you just kept going until we got back and Logan could take a look at me. But you didn’t tell anyone, even though you must’ve wanted to, you never told that you had to carry me, because you knew how embarrassed I would be.” Remus’s chatter had stopped, his mouth a thin line as he fought back words trying to spill out, but as Roman watched he took a shuddering breath and suddenly all his muscles seemed to loosen and he sagged against Roman, exhausted.  
“Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry…” He whispered, unable to keep his eyes open. It took everything out of him, an episode like that, it was somehow worse that Roman had been there, Roman had seen-   
“Don’t. There’s nothing to apologize for.” Roman’s words were a rumble in his chest, it felt like a kitten purring against his cheek, and he nestled closer.   
“I woke you up. You got soaked and cold. I said… I said all those things, I’m crazy, I’m broken, I’m stupid-“   
“No.” Remus was surprised at the vehemence in Roman’s word, flinching at it, that tone having been used against him so many times, and he felt Roman soften. “No. You’re not… you’re none of those things. You’re important. Do you know why I told those stories?” Remus shook his head no, barely awake enough to listen.   
“Because they’re good memories, Ree. Because they’re ones where we were brothers, and loved it, and loved each other. Because you took care of me in them, because that’s what brothers do. I have a lot to make up for Ree. Taking care of you is the least I can do.”   
“You mean it? You’re… you’re not just saying that to get me to shut up? You don’t…” Roman’s grip on him tightened, in an almost protective manner, Remus thought.   
“I would never hurt you, Remus. I would never want you to hurt yourself either. If anyone, I mean anyone, said we should get rid of you I would fight them to my last breath. Even when I didn’t like you, I still loved you, Ree. Even if you drive me crazy and enjoy freaking me out and say the weirdest, most inappropriate things, it’s all part of you being you, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love you, Ree. And I swear, that’s the truth.” Remus drifted off, that thought playing on repeat through his mind, silencing all the other noise. Roman loved him. Roman meant it. That’s all he’d ever wanted.

“Well this is cute. Brother bonding?” Roman woke with a groan, neck stiff blinking his eyes open to see Virgil smirking down at him.   
“Brave words from someone who no doubt spent the night with a certain scaly snake.” Roman replied, enjoying the red that tinged Virgil’s ears, his muttered whatever as he looked away.   
“What are you two doing out here, anyway? And why are you all wet?” Virgil asked.   
“Brooo why’re you taaaalking?” Remus whined, stretching and yawning hugely, not moving from his spot, curled against Roman’s chest.   
“Edgy Mc My Chemical Romance decided to emerge from the new room.” He replied, enjoying Virgil’s eye roll and exasperated sigh, not missing the way the corners of his mouth tugged upwards for a moment. He knew Virgil enjoyed their teasing, but he’d learned to watch for signs that he’d had enough, or if he was having a bad day to start with, when the teasing was taken for more than it should.   
“Oh. Well I’m going back to sleep.” Remus declared, snoring softly mere moments later. Virgil raised an eye brow, turning back to Roman, who was gently running his hands through his brother’s hair.  
“Rough night. He had a nightmare and it… spiraled. It was kinda like one of your panic attacks, but he couldn’t stop just spewing words.” Virgil softened instantly, concerned attention now shifted to the sleeping Remus.   
“I’ve seen those. Mi usually handles it but a few times he’s needed help. Is that why you’re…” Virgil trailed off, gesturing at all of Roman, who frowned, realizing his clothes were uncomfortably damp, sticking against his skin. He groaned.   
“I was so focused on him I didn’t clean myself up last night.” He snapped, and his wet clothes were replaced with his onesie, his hair just the slightest bit damp.   
“Are you alright, Princey?” Virgil asked, amusement coloring his voice, but sincere concern in his eyes. Roman waved it away.   
“Fine, I’m fine. Just a bit extra tired as well. It… frightened me. Not for me, but I’d never realized… I didn’t mean to make him think I hated him. Think I’d… hurt him.” Roman said smally, leaning back against the couch.   
“I know. But I think you helping him last night will help prove to him you mean that, more than anything else. I’m… proud of you, or whatever.” Virgil blushed crimson, Roman too surprised to even needle him. “Get some more sleep, I’ll tell the others to keep it down this morning.” Virgil hurriedly said, vanishing back down the hall. Roman sighed and closed his eyes. Back to sleep sounded like an excellent idea.

“Roman?” His name cut through his haze of sleep, groggily he stretched, peeling open his eyes.   
“Lo? I thought Virg said you wouldn’t wake us up this morning.” He mumbled.  
“Kiddo, you’ve been asleep nearly all day. It’s four o’ clock. Are you feeling alright?”  
He blinked a few times, clearing his vision. He was sprawled across the couch, Remus sitting on the floor next to his head, holding tight to his hand. Someone had tucked a blanket in around him, but despite it he shivered. Patton and Logan were standing above him, concern emanating off both of them.   
“m a bit cold. And sore.” He replied, feeling the ache in his body as it protested his movements.   
“Virgil informed me that you got relatively soaked last night, and didn’t deign to dry yourself off until this morning. It’s entirely possible you’ve contracted a cold, due to your lapse in common sense.” Logan replied.   
“I’m fine, really. I’m sure Milo’s still in worse shape, go worry about him.” Roman answered, undercut by the tenderness of his throat that made him wince.   
“Alright, time for Papa Patton to take care of his sick kiddo. I’ll start on some chicken noodle soup! And… Remus, if you promise not to add anything extra, you could help me make some hot chocolate? I know you like sweets, and it would be good for Roman’s throat.” Remus’s eyes lit up at the offer, especially one from Patton, who was usually the most hesitant to be around him. He looked to Roman questioningly, who laughed.   
“Go on, I’m not gonna die from a little cold. And I’ll be right here when you’re finished.” Remus nodded, springing to his feet, skipping after Patton into the kitchen.   
“He’s been uncharacteristically quiet today.” Logan noted.   
“He said quite a lot last night. I’m sure he’s worried what will come out if he starts talking again. I hope Patton lets him help with the soup. Cooking always calms down Virgil, and he was using the breathing pattern last night, so I imagine it would help him, too.”   
“I believe that was Patton’s intention. Emotions are one of his core functions, he must be able to feel that Remus is still strongly distressed.”   
“He is? I thought he was better.” Roman replied, voice even scratchier than it had been a moment before.  
“I believe the appearance of your illness has added to his stress levels. He no doubt blames himself, as he was the cause of you getting wet in the first place.” They stopped as Remus came back into the living room, carefully carrying a tray of hot chocolates.   
“One for Bro, one for nerd, and I’m off with two for the emo and the snake!” He singsonged, spinning the tray dangerously fast on his finger as he walked down the hallway.  
“You better not be fuckin, cause I’m a comin in!” They heard Remus yell, then the sound of a door being kicked open, quickly followed by Virgil’s scream and Milo’s shouting as he tried to get both of them to calm down.   
“REmus I swear, do NOT spill that on us!”   
“What this? I’d never…” A yelp from Virgil, a hiss from Milo, then Remus was prancing back down the hall, a true smile on his face. Roman rolled his eyes, taking a sip of the cocoa, surprised to find it was actually really good. Remus seemed to notice.   
“It’s Mexican hot chocolate! It’s got cinnamon and other spices and shit, it’s always been my favorite.”   
“I didn’t know you actually made normal food. Y’know, without gasoline or something in it.” Remus shrugged.   
“It’s nice to be boring sometimes, and that is about as boring as I get.” Roman laughed, wincing as it turned into a cough. He took another shaky sip of cocoa, enjoying the feeling of it warming his throat, soothing the ache that seemed to take up residence there.   
“Ok, the hell is happening out here?” Virgil asked, levelling a glare at Remus, Milo a few steps behind him.   
“We believe Roman has a cold, based on some… misadventures that occurred last night. Patton is working on soup currently, but the best treatment is simple rest and relaxation. How are you two faring?” Logan asked, critical as he looked over Virgil and Milo. They’d been under stress as well, though it seemed they’d worked out whatever issue had been going on between them.   
“Alright. Better, anyways. It takes a lot out of us, making things. Making a new room… it’s a lot.” Milo answered, being taken by surprise by Remus, who hugged him so tightly he could barely breathe.   
“You wouldn’t… you wouldn’t get rid of me?” Remus asked, softly enough none of the others could hear. Understanding flooded Milo, and he held Remus all the tighter for it.   
“Never. I would never let that happen. Neither would they. I promise you that is not a lie.” He murmured. “I’m sorry I didn’t come, I didn’t sense it-“   
“It’s ok. Roman helped.” Remus pulled back just fast enough to catch the look of surprise and then a small smile flitted across his face.   
“I know I’m usually not the one to suggest this, but another movie night may be amenable, considering the state everyone is in today.” Remus squealed with delight, thumping down onto the couch next to Roman, snuggling close to him as he felt his chill.   
“Sounds good to me.” Virgil shrugged, plopping down next to Remus, Milo settling on his other side. Logan headed to the kitchen to help Patton as the others debated what movie to start with.   
And if a few tears fell from Remus’s face, at being included, at being loved, at being wanted, not only by his brother, but by all of the others, no one mentioned a thing. Roman just squeezed his hand, smiling up at him, letting him know without a word that it had been worth it, that he didn’t mind a little cold, that it was nothing compared to helping his brother.


End file.
